Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy left his residence on Tuesday (October 21) and was escorted by police to La Sante prison in Paris to begin his sentence, becoming the first former head of state from a European Union member state to be imprisoned. He and his wife, Carla, were warmly welcomed by dozens of supporters as they exited their residence. They held hands and waved to the crowd.
Sarkozy served as French president from 2007 to 2012. Last month, he was sentenced to five years in prison by the Paris Criminal Court for allegedly illegally accepting campaign funding from former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2005.
On his way to prison, Sarkozy posted on social media, insisting that he was innocent and that "the truth will eventually come out." His lawyers are expected to immediately request his release, and the appeals court is expected to make a decision within two months. (Reuters)
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